NEW DELHI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three more Indian children have died of Japanese encephalitis in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, taking the toll in the viral infection in the state since January to 180, reported the Press Trust of India on Tuesday.

    The children belonging to Kushinagar, Siddharthanagar and Mahrajganj districts of Uttar Pradesh died in the last two days at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, where a total of 20 people suffering from the viral fever were being treated, said the report.

    The deadly Japanese encephalitis fever is caused by a virus found in pigs and were transferred to humans by mosquito bite.

    The disease affects the brain and causes high fever and respiratory distress.